Helpful Tips

Nowadays, there are many things fighting for our attention at once. We live in a world where everything is instantaneous—where there’s an excess of digital and interpersonal stimuli that pulls us from what we’re currently doing. With so many distractions, our attention is often split between multiple things at once. When our attention is divided, we’re not as focused in the moment. How do we focus on what’s right in front of us and avoid distractions? We can use mindfulness to cultivate our attention and enhance our experiences. Let’s explore how to go about this…

Let’s face it—life is full of curveballs. Things may be going smoothly one minute, and the next, something turns your day upside down. There’s a mix of good and bad surprises every day. How do you deal with daily challenges? Generally, people act impulsively—meaning that they put their emotions before their logic when they face unexpected and overwhelming situations. But sometimes, this is not the best option. Do you need a better way to keep your cool during surprising or frustrating circumstances? A dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skill called IMPROVE the Moment can help you manage difficult emotions during stressful situations. By reducing the intensity of emotion, you can feel more in-control when life throws you a curveball. Here’s how it works…

It’s a super busy and stressful time of year for everyone. There are many ways to deal with distressing situations. Often times, your mindset is crucial to managing stress effectively. Do you criticize yourself for not getting enough done at the end of the day? Or are you hard on yourself when things don’t go as planned? No matter what your goal is, a negative state of mind—one that’s pessimistic, self-critical, or discouraging—won’t do you any good. There’s a great DBT skill that you can apply to improve your mindset, feel less stressed, and reach your goals: “Give Myself Credit.” Let’s learn more about how it works…

When life gets hectic, how do you practice self-care? Do you feel like there's not enough time in the day to do so? It may feel like you can't take time to de-stress because of all of the “to-do's” of the day or week. But when you neglect practicing self-care, you may feel run down or burnt out. It can certainly impact your emotional and physical well-being. Here are some easy ways to practice self-care in order to feel more refreshed, present, and productive.

Does your teen feel overwhelmed and emotionally drained? Does your child feel like he or she doesn't have control over his or her life? One key strategy to combat these feelings is to avoid being reactive. When we are reactive, we allow events and other people to dictate how we react. We passively respond to what's going on and we struggle to keep up with life's demands. Whether it’s anger, anxiety, or sadness, our emotions can sometimes manage our actions without us even realizing it. Therefore, we must take responsibility for our actions. We must take a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one. By taking ownership of how we act, we decide what we will do—not the other way around. Here’s how you can be proactive, not reactive…

How many friends do you have? Now, think about the quality of those friendships. How many of your friendships are invaluable to you? It's not always easy to make meaningful friendships. For teens especially, it's tricky to cultivate quality relationships when everyone's changing and figuring out who they are. As people change, friendships evolve too. There's a difference between hanging out with a group of people while feeling lonely, and hanging out with a few friends while feeling genuinely happy. Everyone wants to spend time with people who we enjoy being around. But how do we foster those kinds of relationships? Here are some tips to help you develop valuable and worthwhile friendships…

Do you sometimes find it difficult to forgive other people? The ability to forgive is an important component for our own personal growth and happiness. Holding on to hurt, pain, resentment, and anger harms us far more than it harms the offender. We should all strive to better forgive others, as well as ourselves. Let’s clarify what forgiveness involves, and explore why it’s beneficial to practice forgiveness…

Everyone sets goals for the New Year, so that we can have a better, healthier year ahead. How are you doing with your resolutions so far? Whether you’re trying to lose weight, get more sleep each night, or spend more time with family, it can be difficult to stick to your resolutions. Use these tips to help stick to your goals for 2019…

The practice of mindfulness has surged in popularity over the last few years—and for very good reasons. Unfortunately, some people are still uninformed or confused about exactly why it is beneficial to incorporate mindfulness techniques into their lives. Are you wondering what all the buzz is about? Read on for some reasons why leading a more mindful life can have far-reaching positive effects…

People who are currently in therapy, and even people who have heard about therapy before, know about the experience of therapy from the client’s point of view. In an initial appointment, you’re asked a variety of questions so that the therapist can get to know you. In the following sessions, you work with the therapist to establish goals, learn strategies, and make progress towards achieving them. But have you ever wondered what it’s like being a therapist? Or what your therapist thinks of his or her job? This week in our “Ask the Therapist” series, the therapists are opening up about what they think of their careers…

Do you ever go into a situation thinking that things will go badly, and then they actually do? How does that happen? It’s likely because of a concept called a self-fulfilling prophecy. A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction bound to become true as a result of behavior caused by its being expressed. Essentially, how you think determines your end result. If you believe that things won’t go well, they likely won’t go well. So how can you stop this vicious cycle of self-fulfilling prophecies? Here are some tips to help you break the habit…

Every year around this time, there are high school seniors all over the world anxiously waiting to hear back from colleges. Just like you, they’re all anticipating that email or letter in the mail from their top choice school. Think about it—you are not alone! This process sometimes feels endless, stressful and tiring, but the most difficult parts are already over! As your decisions roll in, whether they are acceptances, referrals, waitlists or rejections, it is important to stay positive! Here are some tips to help you through this crazy time…

Every day, we encounter a variety of emotions; we can respond to these feelings in many different ways. When most people experience a negative emotion like sadness or anger, we tend to either push the feeling away or react to it quickly. However, there is a different way of handling difficult emotions— a DBT or Dialectical Behavior Therapy technique that can make our negative emotions more manageable. It’s called “Riding the Wave.” “Riding the Wave” encourages us to experience our emotions like waves in the ocean. Here are a few tips to help you practice “Riding the Wave...”

Mindfulness is living in the moment and focusing on your current experience. Although it seems like a trend or buzzword, mindfulness is evidence-based and has been studied to reduce negative physical and mental symptoms as well as improve overall well-being. Here are some tips and tools for integrating mindfulness into your routine....

Summer is the time of year to get outdoors and enjoy some well-deserved downtime. Sometimes, the free time and changing family schedule can make you feel depressed. If you feel down or bored this summer, try listening to Buzzfeed’s playlist of uplifting songs from over the years. Here are some suggestions...

Transitions can be difficult for adolescents and parents, so the transition to adulthood is definitely no exception! It’s important for your child to feel comfortable talking to you about some of his or her stressors, anxiety, fears and worries about the transition. Autonomy can be simultaneously liberating, scary and challenging.

Here are 4 Life Skills for your emerging young adult to practice and master in order to help make the transition smoother:

Do you ever feel like no matter how much you do during the day, it still isn't enough? Life can be stressful, especially when you have kids. Whether you are a mom to a colicky newborn, or a mom of three, it's easy to let stress build up and feel like you have little time to yourself.

Here are 4 easy ways for busy moms to de-stress - and it won't cost a thing!:

Any parent that has a child who can speak has heard the familiar phrase, "i'm bored!" The first thing a parent might think is "I wish I had time to be bored!" and an easy response could be, "go play." Then you might get a dreaded retort such as, "there's nothing to play" or "I played everything already." This scenario is frustrating for sure. What is a parent to do when faced with these words?

We all have been overwhelmed from time to time by the amount of items on our "to-do" lists or by what we perceive as responsibilities that feel like mountains to climb. Often, we don't complete tasks or meet goals when we feel discouraged or defeated, or generally weary.

With the demands and expectation of getting good grades in school and maintaining a social life, teens may start to feel overwhelmed. Depression can result from untreated and chronic feelings of overwhelm, confusion and/or hopelessness. it is crucial to understand a teen’s depression and to have a set of concrete action steps. Here are 3 Tips for Helping your Teen through Depression…..